“This tiny energy company has only two full-time employees, and surprised many when it received a $300 million no-bid contract to help rebuild Puerto Rico’s electrical grid. Whitefish has never worked on a project of this size.”

“Lawmakers and federal officials are calling for investigations to determine how and why Puerto Rico’s bankrupt government utility awarded Whitefish the lucrative deal, CBS News’ Julianna Goldman reports from Washington.”

“The contract says federal and state officials ‘don’t have the right to review the cost and profit elements of the labor rates.'”

It also says “the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) ‘reviewed and approved’ the agreement. On Friday, FEMA said it was ‘not involved’ and any language that says it was ‘is inaccurate.'”

“In addition to Whitefish’s connection to Zinke, one of the company’s top investors has given tens of thousands of dollars to Republicans, including Energy Secretary Rick Perry, Sens. Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz — and Mr. Trump.”

“Late Friday, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi called on the contract to be ‘terminated immediately.'”

Zack Beauchamp: “Russian President Vladimir Putin loves to troll the United States. But he took it to new heights during a press conference in Sochi, Russia, on Wednesday morning.” “…Putin offered to provide a transcript […]

Chicago Tribune: “President Donald Trump has alarmed citizens of the nation’s closest allies and others worldwide, diminishing the standing of the United States in their eyes, according to a wide-ranging international study released Monday.” “But […]